JERUSALEM SYNDROME

By Nora Amrani
July, 2000

There are two men who are credited with being the first to diagnose the condition known now as
Jerusalem* Syndrome; Dr. Yair Bar-El (Director of the Kfar Shaul Mental Health Centre in Jerusalem),
or Dr. Heinz Herman in the 1930's (the father of Israeli psychiatry). The term "Jerusalem Syndrome"
is much more recent term, however, being used in the last twenty years.

What is the Jerusalem Syndrome? It is described by doctors as being usually a temporary condition
(sometimes permanent) of tourists or pilgrims who visit Jerusalem and become totally enraptured by
the holy aura of the city to where they believe they were biblical persons, such as Jesus, or Moses,
Mary, David, etc. Often, people who have Jerusalem Syndrome begin acting differently and may begin
preaching or dressing differently. These people rarely become violent. Approximately one hundred fifty
people a year come down with Jerusalem Syndrome and some require hospitalization and treatment.
Sometimes Jerusalem Syndrome spawns from high religious hopes and expectations, such as the
anticipated return of Christ or the Messiah. I think practically everyone who has been to Jerusalem
has seen at least one person who stands out because they are acting out what comes from having the Syndrome. Some people are so into it, enjoy it, that they even make having Jerusalem Syndrome their living.

When the people who have experienced Jerusalem Syndrome come out of the condition, back
to present reality (in other words), they are often embarrassed. Some don't remember everything
they said or did while in that temporary state.

Is this a real medical or psychological phenomenon, or something else? I think Jerusalem
Syndrome is mostly a spiritual phenomenon that has an effect upon the individual's entire being.
Jerusalem is a fascinating city, home to three of the world's major religions: Judaism, Christianity
and Islam. We all know how old the city is, its history of battles, high emotions, world-altering
events. But, did you also know that Mt. Moriah, where the Wall and the Dome of the Rock is,
is where the ancient Anunnaki space center was located? This is highly charged energetic area
complete with the conduction and transmission of energies. People who are sensitive can be effected
by the energies in Jerusalem. Visiting there one can easily shift dimensions, go "back" in time,
envision its story, and sometimes they were actually part of that history, themselves.

Doctors do not understand these spiritual aspects of Jerusalem Syndrome and why it is usually temporary.
I think that some people who become hysterical in Jerusalem are religious fanatics - swept
away by years of brainwashing or hopes, dreams, fantasies, things they'd LIKE to manifest, or think
are real (like Armageddon). However, I feel that many people who get Jerusalem Syndrome are simply
channeling the diverse and chaotic energies of Jerusalem. These people are not knowledgeable about channeling,
so they don't understand what's happening and don't know that they can have control over this phenomenon.
They are confused because they have walked through this powerful interdimensional vortex, portal,
that Jerusalem is and can no longer distinguish third dimensional concepts of time. They are truly
transported somewhere else.

Jerusalem Syndrome can be a very exciting phenomenon to explore in terms of gathering valuable
ancient knowledge IF the doctors can seriously interview the entities being channeled. Special
spiritual therapy can also be applied to help the person return to their present identity, to understand
why they experienced Jerusalem Syndrome - to help them know more about themselves. Why does
one person tune into these energies and another doesn't? What is the message from these
energies? Are they spirits, remembrances of other lifetimes, or sub-personalities? Perhaps the condition
brought up old unresolved issues for that person? Perhaps they are giving us all more clues as to how the
conflicts in Jerusalem developed and how we can resolve them?

I feel to dismiss Jerusalem Syndrome as only a mere psychological sickness is devastating for
everyone, almost a denial and disservice of what is going on and how it manifests. Let's look
at it from a medical, psychological and spiritual analysis. How can we distinguish
the medical and psychological from the spiritual, and in which cases could they be all connected?
We could be missing something valuable here - how multidimensional we are and how "events in time" are
a matter of frequency-location that our emotions are very adept at tuning into. Furthermore, by treating this condition
as a spiritual phenomenon, people can be properly alerted and prepared to this prior to entering Jerusalem, and
professional channels can assist the scientific and tourist community in preventing, detecting and
treating those who are so open and sensitive to the energies in these ancient places. Let's not
look at these phenomenon only as illness, something "wrong," or "crazy," but as an open window
which allow us to realize more of who we are.

*The name Jerusalem has many meanings. Uru Salem: Ur means "primal source" and Ur also
refers to "light," and in Hittite means "the superlative" (Book of Books, Song of Songs).
Salem/Shalom/Shalem means "peace," it is one of G-d's names, and it also means "whole
or complete." So, it can mean "City of G-d, light, peace and completeness." (Some people think that the name
Yeru Shalem originally meant "City of Shalem." But, who was Shalem? Nobody knows.)